While You Were Sleeping
by schim
Summary: Prince Gumball wakes up one night to find he isn't alone.


**Notes:**

_"while you were sleeping_  
_the time changed_  
_all your things were rearranged_  
_your vampire mirrors face to face_  
_they saw forever out into space_  
_and found you dreaming in black and white_  
_while it rained in all the colors of the night"_  
- "While You Were Sleeping" - Elvis Perkins

* * *

Something heavy was on Prince Gumball's chest.

He exhaled on the edge of sleep, body staying lax under plush sheets. In the logic of exhaustion, he tried to drift back, ignoring the weight on him. Something wet ran up his chin. Gumball jerked, but his eyes stayed shut tight. The following groan whined, _stop, let me sleep_ and _super gross_. Confused thoughts flipflopped in a calculating frenzy, trying to make sense of the world and its unwanted sensations.

It was a tongue, a very tiny one.

Gumball opened his eyes, half lidded, too tired to be angry. He was greeted by a small furry creature in the darkness; a bat. A very specific bat.

"You better not be trying to drink my face." His sigh and yawn were his level of concern.

"I already ate," the bat replied and settled down to sit in a way no natural bat could.

"You did, did you." Another yawn followed by a _five more minutes_ lowering of his eyelids. "They didn't happen to be my strawberries, did they, Marshall?"

Marshall grinned as well as a bat could, which was surprisingly well, however toothy and mischievous.

Gumball grunted and pushed his palm against Marshall's furry little head, all half-hearted and dead weight.

"You're a jerk."

"You're a dork."

Marshall pulled the hand down off his head and Gumball's fingers stroked his fur before they tucked themselves under his tiny arms. Wings fluttered and flapped for balance as Gumball lifted the little intruder up off his chest. Pink thumbs smoothed over Marshall's belly and he squirmed with the force of a newborn kitten.

"How'd you even get in this time?" Gumball wiggled backwards to sit up against his cushioned headboard.

"You left the balcony door open, stupid." There was a laugh on the edge of Marshall's voice as his claws strummed and tickled atop Gumball's thumbs.

"Mm?" The prince looked over and frowned; a night breeze blew in and made the curtains dance. "I did, didn't I."

"You're getting sloppy." Marshall flapped his wings again as Gumball set him down atop his belly. The prince's choice of sleepwear was an old t-shirt they both knew all too well. It was soft under Marshall's tiny toes.

"Maybe it was an invitation." Gumball's voice went lower and he moved his hand to pet open palm down Marshall's sides, going slow, fingers rising and falling against the unexpected softness of his fur.

Marshall laughed with an inhuman squeak. "Ha. Right. An _invitation_. Don't play cute just because you forgot." He leaned into the hand with a sound that could only be described as a challenging purr. "Your 'invitations' are a lot more complex than that."

"Maybe I think _you_ are getting sloppy." Gumball closed his eyes and smiled.

Marshall snorted. It sounded like a kitten's sneeze. A mere breath of a laugh was Gumball's short reply.

"Fat chance." Marshall crawled up and settled on Gumball's chest as the prince slumped back down into the comfort of his bed. "I've been playing games like this way longer than you, kid."

"Kid." Gumball smirked and huffed a small laugh out of his nose. "Mm."

His fingers found Marshall's back and they traced down along it in lazy strokes. The purrs grew again and Marshall stretched his wings to the side so they wouldn't get in the way. Gumball's fingers stopped at the base of Marshall's neck. Working in slow, circular motions, the prince massaged the taut muscles there until the tightness went slack with a peeping sigh from their owner.

"You're much nicer like this." Gumball yawned, but only halfway, the rest melted into some dreamy, content sound.

"Pff." Marshall turned his head to lick Gumball's wrist. "Like I believe that bullshit. You love my rockin' bod more than you'll ever admit."

"_Marshall_." Gumball warned. The tone in his voice was hollow and tired and leaned far too close to playful. "If it's so great, then why are you like this, hm?"

"I don't have to justify what I do." Marshall purred with a drawn out hum.

Gumball snorted and leaned forward, pressing his lips against Marshall's forehead. Once those pink lips made contact, Marshall let out a soft squeak and wiggled his ears. The kiss was replaced with quiet giggles, warm and light against Marshall's fur.

"You are simply ridiculous."

"You love me." Marshall moved forward, nuzzling his head under Gumball's chin. His tongue lapped at the prince's neck, purring loud and steady.

Gumball yawned and closed his eyes again, fingers stroking at a slower pace. "Mmm. Maybe I do."

Not another word was exchanged. The silence welcomed Gumball back to the world of sleep. Marshall's presence made it easy with his purrs like a gentle lullaby, just for his prince.


End file.
